Endless Nature, Ancestral History…and A Spring-Loaded Hidden Bar

With turrets reminiscent of a Walt Disney castle and a secret bar disguised behind wooden panels, an 18th century home is up for sale offering history hunters the chance to live in luxury.

Dunmore House Estate on the Kilberry Peninsula in Argyll, is the ancestral home to the MacMillan clan who lived in the grand property for almost 300 years, before being used as a less than ordinary family home.

This two story house was built in the early 1700s with a four storey tower being added in 1820. In 1984 a mysterious and dramatic fire left the tower a roofless shell before its present owner, Scottish conductor Stewart Robertson and his wife Meryl stabilised the structure providing future home-owners with the perfect playground for the ultimate renovation.

During the 20th Century the estate enjoyed a colourful history going from a riding school to being owned by a film maker, a whisky baron and was the childhood home of Venetia Taylor, the late Countess of Devon.

With striking Scots baronial interiors, high ceilings and a wooden panelled dining room with a secret bar, Dunmore House is on the market with Bell Ingram for offer over £875,000.

Mairi Kennedy, of Bell Ingram’s Inverness office, said: “Dunmore House is steeped in history from being the original home to the Macmillan clan to being owned by the inventor behind the Argyll Car.

“Sitting on 114 acres of land, views from the main house look out on to some of Scotland’s finest nature including dense forestry and the stunning West Loch Tarbert.

“Inside there is a very cosy atmosphere despite the 3,000 square feet of space including four large bedrooms, a library and a study.

“There is also a few quirky features including a bar that pops out from a spring loaded set of wooden doors in the dining room, perfect for entertaining guests.

“It’s not very often we see properties like this on the market offering so much space both inside and out and the chance to renovate should the buyer want. I think we’ll see a great deal of interest in this and hopefully find somebody their perfect home.”

A 3,500 year old Bronze Age fort sits behind the home in the walled garden, which Dunmore- “big fort”- gained its name.

The current owner, Stewart Robertson, has lived at the home for the past 16 years with his wife, describes the unlimited potential the property has for new home owners.
He said: “I am devastated to be leaving Dunmore House but it’s time for my wife and I to move on.

“There is huge potential for new home owners to make Dunmore House even more striking than it is. If the tower gets renovated, it will provide an extra 5,000 square feet to the home including a grand staircase and massive ground-floor room.

“The location of the home is also perfect. I’ll often sit outside and watch the world lazily pass by, something any wildlife or nature lovers will adore.

“Along with traditional features, my favourite part of the home has to be in the dining room. I always keep it as a surprise for guests. Some of the walls panels in the dining room are spring loaded which opens a pair of doors and a bar pops out. It’s always a great talking point when we have friends or family round.

“This quirky feature, along with wonderful views over the loch is sure to drum up a lot of interest. I really do hope we find a buyer that will love this home as much as my wife and I during our time here.”

The estate also features Dunmore court, the former stables for the House of Dunmore, four cottages and a lodge.

The small village of Kilberry, famous for its sandy coves and historical sites, also lies just 7 miles to the west and with Tarbert, just seven miles to the north east, offering an attractive harbour, selection of independent shops and restaurants.

Established in 1899, Bell Ingram is a multi disciplined firm of chartered surveyors, forestry managers, estate agents, architects, building surveyors and energy specialists. With more than 130 professional staff across 11 UK offices the firm provides local knowledge with national coverage.

To find out more about Dunmore House Estate, please contact Bell Ingram’s Inverness office on 01463 717799